Signs of the Time

I peddle past a particular Assemblies of God church in the county in which I live on a nightly basis. Several years ago, on a Sunday morning, I had the privilege of speaking there. Almost half a century ago as a Royal Ranger leader (similar to Boy Scouts) I brought my boys to that church to play a game of basketball with their group.

Over the past several years their approx. 15x10 foot lighted church sign has fallen in disrepair. Whereas the standard was, at one time, a bright white and blue, and one of the nicest church signs you can imagine, the paint had long since faded, and the steel supports are covered in rust. A large lighted cross which is part and parcel of the sign, and adorns its top is apparently missing a light bulb. The lower beam of the cross shines red, while the arms and upper beam remain dark.

To put it simply, I am appalled that a Christian church would present itself this way. No, I am not referring to a building, but The Church; the people and their spiritual representatives. Were I a visitor to said church, drove up and saw “the likes” of a sign such as this one, well, I would turn around and proceed to locate a different place of worship. While there is every possibility that the pastor and congregation are fine people, and that “there is something going on” in that church, I immediately find myself skeptical that this is the case.

The church sign is the first thing one sees. If I were to judge the progressiveness, witness and outreach of the pastor and congregation by that sign, I would be led to believe that it is a dying church, or at best spiritually mediocre. Not a location where I would desire to place myself and my family.

Over the past several months, I have written two letters, (anonymous of course) to the pastor and official board in which I expressed my concern; to no avail. That despicable, deplorable sign is only looking more despicable and deplorable.

Stay tuned.

By William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from "(Mc)Donald's Daily Diary" Vol. 6